Dan-shen Root (Radix Salviae Militiorrhizae) is a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases with definite therapeutic effects. At present, it is generally presumed that salvianic acid (chemical name: β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-α-hydroxyl-propionic acid) is the main active ingredient in the water-soluble components of Dan-shen Root. It is demonstrated in Pharmacological tests that β-phenyl-α-hydroxylpropionic acid is the pharmacologically active portion in propanoid acid, but its potency is not desirable. Thus, the substituted β-phenyl-α-hydroxylpropionic acid was modified, and the resulting modified derivatives might possess the same or greater potency than the parent compound, and might also exhibit an improved therapeutic effect in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. For example, borneol is capable of passing through cardiocerebral barrier, while propanoid acid is not prone to pass through cardiocerebral barrier. Therefore, propanoid acid may be modified in structure by incorporating the chemical structure of borneol.